Faeces

In detail

Faecal soiling is unusual in this catalogue because the visible mark is the lesser problem. It carries bacteria and, on textiles and soft furnishings, the residue continues to break down after the mark has gone, which is what produces recurring odour and, with pets, repeat marking of the same spot. The order of operations is therefore hygiene first, appearance second. Solids are removed mechanically before anything is wetted — a wet method applied over solids spreads them and drives them into the structure. The carpet institute's entry then runs a detergent solution, a spot removal kit, a vinegar solution, warm water and an ammonia solution, which is the protein branch. Two cautions are worth stating. Ammonia is a component of urine, so an ammonia-based treatment on a pet accident can reinforce the scent cue that brings the animal back, which is why an enzymatic product is usually the better choice on a pet soiling even though the trade sequence names ammonia. And a chlorine bleach must not be used on a urine-contaminated surface, because bleach and ammonia produce chloramine gases — a domestic hazard this catalogue records in full.

Why

• Faeces is explained by Protein denaturation
• Faeces is explained by Adsorption of odour molecules